Inking mechanism for rotary intaglio fountains



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April 27, 1954 INKING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY INTAGLIO FOUNTAINS Filed May 5, 1950 April 27, 1954 A. BEHRINGER 2,676,539

INKING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY INTAGLIO FOUNTAINS Filed May 5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

April 27, 1954 A. BEHRINGER INKING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY INTAGLIO F'OUNTAINS Filed May 5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 a l I l I 1 l April 27, 1954 A. BEHRINGER 2,676,539

INKING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY INTAGLIO FOUNTAINS Filed May 5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENToR.

BY kf/Pf@ 5mi/N65? Patented Apr. 27, 1954 INKING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY INTAGLIO FOUNTAINS Alfred Behringer, Cupsaw Lake, N. J., assigner to Publication Corporation', New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application May 5, 1950,l Serial No. 160,374

12 Claims. 1 The present invention relates to rotary intaglio printing presses and more specifically to ink fountain structures for such presses.

In recent years closed ink fountains have been widely used in commercial production and at high speeds, such fountains being illustrated by patents to Weiss No. Re. 21,212 and 2,055,272. In the operation of these presses, difficulty has been experienced in insuring a uniform and continuous flow of ink from the fountain sump onto the printing cylinder and across the entire length of the latter. These ink circulating systems utilize one or more pumps, and the distribution of the ink from one or a few sources into a band or ribbon of ink uniformly applied to the cylinder across its entire printing length has given rise to difficulties because of the caking or hardening of the ink during operation, and also because of the occasional presence of foreign bodies in the i-nk which have escaped entrapment by the straining mechanisms that are generally used.

An object of the present invention, accordingl-y, is to provide an ink distribution system by means of which uniformity of inking is. accomplished at all times across the printing length of the cylinder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a system of the above character wherein means is provided to enable uniform ink distribution to be maintained at all times and to facilitate the maintenance ofr such distribution by mechanism that may be easily inspected, cleaned and variably adjusted to accomplish certain desired conditions of non-uniformity. lThese lastr mentioned conditions are illustrated, for example, by situations where certain portions of the cylinder require much more ink than other portions and, accordingly, it is desirable to apply more ink to such portions during the printing operation.

. A further object of the invention resides in providing an enclosure for an ink fountain of the abovecharacter wherein a reciprocating doctor knife is utilized as a. closure element while preserving all of its functions as a flexible wiping element for wiping excess ink from the surface of the printing cylinder.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent as it is described in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a planview of ink fountain constructed in accordance with the present invention;

v.Figure 21s a' view inA transverse section, taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a partial view in side elevation showing the ink distribution system of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a partial view in cross-section, taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 5 is a partial view similar to Figure 2, showing the adjustable control elements of invention as embodied in the doctor side of the fountain.

Referring to the above drawings, a rotary intaglio printing cylinder is indicated generally at I0. This cylinder is journaled in end walls I I, to be received within an enclosure indicated generally at I2, this enclosure being formed by an ink fountain having a bottom portion I3, the aforementioned end walls II, a hinged wall portion I4 for the inking side of the fountain, and a hinged wall portion I5 for the doctor side of the fountain. The wall portion I5 is also provided with a doctor knife assembly comprising one or more brackets I5 upon which a doctor knife holder I'I is secured, the doctorknife holder supporting a doctor knife I8, as will be seen in Figure 2. The outer extremity of the holder I1 is provided with a nose I9 that is shaped to bend the doctor knife into a suitable wiping position, as illustrated.

The hinged wall portion I 5 is also provided with a sealing blade 20 secured in a clamp 2i and adapted to engage frictionallyr against the doctor blade I8. The sealing blade 26 is stationary, but as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the doctor knife assembly, including the bracket I6, reciprocates back and forth during operation of the printing press. At each end of the fountain, an end seal 22 is provided, this end seal being curved to conform to the curvature of the cylinder IIl and being carried by a bracket 23 that is secured to a land 23a on the hinged wall section I5. The end seal 22 terminates in an edge 24 that lies closely adjacent the plane of the wiping edge of the doctor knife i8, as illustrated in Figure l, while the other circumferential edge 25 of the end seal 22 lies closely adjacent the inking head structure which will be described presently. It will be understood, of course, that the sealing blade 20 extends across the entire distance between the fountain end walls in order to effect a more complete enclosure of the fountain.

The hinged wall portion Id serves as an inking head by means of which the printing cylinder I0 may be inked eifectively during-operation of the press. To this end, an ink supply duct 26 is provided from a pumping system which receives ink from the fountain sump and supplies it under pressure to the duct 26. A huid-tight seal 21 is provided between the duct 26 and a communicating duct 28 formed in the hinged wall section I4 when the latter is in itsnormal printing position, as illustrated in Figure 2. The wall section I4 is hinged to the fountain I3 by suitable hinges 29 and, by means of the foregoing mechanism, an effective fluid-tight duct system is provided between the ink supply mechanism and the ink distribution system, which is fed by means of the duct 28. The foregoing duct structure, being formed within the fountain wall structure, eliminates the cumbersome hoses, pipes and connections heretofore required in closed ink fountains of existing design.' Inasmuch as the connection between the ,relatively movable ink duct portions is established automatically upon movement of the fountain head to its operative position, the troublesome leakage from swivel joints and the like is avoided.

This ink distribution system consists of branch ducts 28a that receive ink from the duct 28 and supply it to manifolds 30 that are formed in the extreme upper portion of the inking head or hinged Wall portion I4. As will be seen from Figures 3 and 4, these manifolds taper in height and, therefore, volume from points 3| immediately above the outlets of the ducts 28a to the outer extremities 32 of the manifolds and also to the intermediate portion 33 where the two manifolds communicate with each other, or merge. As will be seen from Figure 4, the manifolds include portions of cover plates 34 which are suitably secured to the upper extremity of the hinged Wall portion I4 and serve as a cover for the entire distribution system from manifolds Y30 to the printing cylinder. Thus, as will be seen from Figures 2 and 4, the ink manifolds communicate with a narrow elongated channel 35 between the cover 34 and the adjacent top surface of the hinged wall I4.

From the channel 35, ink ows through an elongated orifice 36 onto the printing cylinder during the printing operation. The ow of ink through the channel 35 is controlled by a plurality of circular discs or washers 31 which are secured in position by means of bolts 38, the position of the washers being such that they are spaced to provide a plurality of orifices 39,- as illustrated in Figure 1. By selecting washers of suitable diameter, the size of the orifices 38 may be conveniently controlled, and thus the rate of ow of ink may be effectively controlled across the entire length of the printing sylinder.

This structure not only effectively controls the rate of flow of the ink to provide a desired uniformity, but also serves as a convenient means for enabling the inking head to be cleaned. Bolts 40 or the like, which secure the cover 34 to the top of the inking head, may be easily removed and the cover removed to open the final portion of the ink distribution system, and also to enable the ducts 28 and 28a to be cleaned effectively.

Returning to the doctor side of the mechanism, the brackets I 6 are pivoted upon a shaft indicated at 42 in Figure 5, and the position of the doctor is controlled by an adjustableV mechanism 43 connected to the outer portion of the brackets I6 and, through linkage 44, to a crank arm 45 journaled at 48 upon a boss 41 that is carried by the member that supports the shaft 42. A

.4 stop screw 48 serves to adjust the normal closed position of the crank arm 45 and, by means of a pivot shaft 46, the brackets I6 may be swung into the operating position shown in Figure 5, or into a suitable retracted position, not shown in the drawings.

The wall portion I5 is adapted to be secured to a cooperating stationary wall portion 49 of the fountain by means of an adjustable bolt and slot connection indicated generally at 50. At either end of the wall portion I5 pedestals 5I are formed, each pedestal being provided with an offset boss 52 through which adjusting screws 53 extend, and secured to the boss for rotation with respect thereto by means of oppositely spaced bearings 54. The upper extremities of the screws 53 are squared at 55 to facilitate rotation thereof, and the screws are threaded into a bracket 56 that is secured to the side frame of the press (not shown). The pedestal 5I is adjustably secured to the bracket 56 by means of a bolt and slot connection 51 and, if it is desired to adjust the wall portion I5 upwardly or downwardly, the bolt and slot connections 51 are released and the threaded bolts 53 turned in the proper direction by means of the 'application l of a linkage to the squared ends 55 thereof.

As will be well understood in the art, the brackets I 6 and the related doctor supporting mechanism are carried upon a dovetailedvslide 58 that is slidably mounted upon a dovetail guide 58 formed upon the wall portion I5. operation, the slide 58 is reciprocated in order to improve the character of the wiping operation performed by the doctor I8. Y I

The foregong mechanism will be seen to provide means for quickly and positively adjusting the fountain wall portions to accommodate cylinders of various sizes, the end seal mechanism illustrated in Figure 2 being ofsuchnature that the fiexible end seal 22 accommodates its shape tothe proiile of the particular cylinder that is' being used in the fountain. In this connection it will be noted that the extent of the mounting bracket 23 contacting the flexible lend seal is relatively little, thus permitting the end sealing blade to adapt itself to varying size cylinders with substantially complete uniformity.

Y Inasmuch as complete drainage of the duct system is accomplished as soon as the circulating pump is shut off, the accumulation of hardened ink and other sediment is prevented and a desired volume of ink is thus supplied to the printing cylinder at all times, avoiding the starv-e ing of portions of the printed image by what is generally termed skipping t In order that the space between the printing cylinder I0 and the adjacent portionv of the hinged wall I4 may be closed, a sealing strip 4I is removably secured tov the wall, being formed of any suitable material such as Bakelite, this strip being interchangeable with others of vary ing size to accommodate cylinders of different sizes.

specific reference to the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited save as defined in th appended claims.

I claim: 1. Inking mechanism for a rotary intaglio printing cylinder, comprising an ink fountain wall portion having an ink supply duct, a manifold communicating with the duct, an elongated orice for discharging inkonto a printing cylin- During,v

while the invention has been described with der, an elongated channel between the manifold and orifice, and removable nat obstructions in the channel to restrict the flow' 0f ink therethrough.

2. A device, according to claim 1, wherein the wall portion is provided with a removable cover forming a portion of the walls of the manifold.

3. A device, according to claim l, wherein the wall portion is provided with a removable cover forming a portion of the walls of the manifold, orifice and channel.

4. Inking mechanism for a rotary intaglio printing cylinder, comprising an inl; fountain wall portion having an ink supply duct, a manifold communicating with the duct, an elongated orifice for discharging ink onto a printing cylinder, an elongated channel between the manifold and orifice, and a plurality of removable circular discs in the channel forming, between adjacent discs, apertures through which the ink flows.

5. Inking mechanism for a rotary intaglio printing cylinder, comprising an ink fountain wall portion having an ink supply duct, a manifold communicating with the duct, an elongated orifice for discharging ink onto a printing cylinder, an elongated channel between the manifold and orice, a cover secured to the wall portion and forming a portion of the walls of the manifold, and a plurality of removable flat obstructions spaced along the channel to restrict the flow of ink therethrough to the sides of said obstructions.

6. hiking mechanism for a rotary intaglio printing cylinder, comprising an ink fountain wall portion having an ink supply duct, a manifold communicating with the duct, an elongated orifice for discharging inl; onto a printing cylinder, an elongated channel between the manifold and orifice, a cover secured to the wall portion and forming a portion of the walls of the channel, and a plurality of removable mutually separated fiat obstructions spaced along the channel to restrict the flow of ink therethrough.

7. A device, according to claim 5, wherein the removable flat obstructions comprise circular discs, each of a diameter less than the distance between adjacent centers thereof.

8. A device, according to claim 6, wherein the removable nat obstructions comprise circular discs, each of a diameter less than the distance between adjacent centers thereof.

9. nking mechanism for a rotary intaglio printing cylinder, comprising an ink fountain wall portion having an ink supply duct, a manifold communicating with the duct. an elongated orice for discharging ink onto a printing cylinder, an elongated channel between the manifold and orifice, a cover secured to the wall portion and forming a portion of the walls of the manifold, channel and orifice, and a plurality of removable circular discs in the channel to restrict the flow of ink therethrough, each disc being of a diameter less than the distance between adjacent centers thereof.

10. A device, according to claim 9, wherein the volume of the manifold diminishes uniformly in opposite directions from the ink supply duct.

11. Inking mechanism for a rotary intaglio p-rinting cylinder, comprising an ink fountain, a stationary ink supply duct associated with said ink fountain, an inking head in the form of a wall section hinged to said ink fountain, an ink communicating duct associated with said inking head, said ducts abutting in fluid-tight relationship when said inking head is in printing position, a manifold supplied from said ink communicating duct, an elongated orifice for discharging ink onto the printing cylinder, an elongated channel between said manifold and said orifice, and a plurality of removable flat obstructions spaced along said channel to restrict the ow of ink therethrough.

12. Inking mechanism for a rotary intaglio printing cylinder, comprising an ink fountain formed with a stationary ink supply duct therein, an inking head in the form of a wall section hinged to said ink fountain and containing an ink communicating duct therein, a fluid-tight seal disposed between said ducts when said inking head is in printing position. a manifold supplied from said ink communicating duct, an elongated orifice for discharging inl; onto the printing cylinder, an elongated channel between said manifold and said orice, a cover secured to said inking head and forming a portion of the walls of said manifold, and a plurality of removable flat obstructions spaced along said channel to restrict the flow of ink therethrough.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,096,322 Crafts Oct. 19, 1937 2,130,659 Wedemeyer Sept. 20, 1938 2,224,218 Crafts Dec. 10, 1940 2,377,482 Crafts June 5, 1945 2,460,184 Meyer Jan. 25, 1949 2,495,017 Meyer Jan. 17, 1950 

